Аndrei I. Khlebnikov

Abstract In this review, we focus on the medicinal drugs from humus matter such as peat, sapropel, and mumie. The most clinically available medicines, containing peat and sapropel extracts, are Torfot, Tolpa Peat Preparation (TPP), Peloidodistillate, Humisol, Peloidin, FiBS, and Eplir. Much attention in the review is concentrated on mumie composition, its pharmacological properties, and new pharmacological drugs with mumie (Shilagen, Abana, Cystone, Diabecon 400, EveCare, Geriforte, Lukol, Pilex, Rumalava, Tentex forte, Nefrotec, Adrenotone, Siotone, La‐Tone Gold, Andro‐Surge, Solanova Libidoplex). It was concluded that therapeutic properties of crude extracts from peat, sapropel, and mumie have similarity to the ones of fulvic and humic acids. They are antibacterial, antitoxic, antiradical, antiulcerogenic, antiarthritic, immunomodulatory, and antiinflammatory properties. Possible directions for better development of new drugs from humus matter are discussed. Drug Dev. Res. 57:140–159, 2002. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.

Mumie, a semihard black resin formed by long-term humification, is believed to have therapeutic properties. Although mumie has been used in folk medicine since ancient times, there is little information available concerning the physicochemical properties of its constituents and the mechanisms of its therapeutic efficacy. For this study crude mumie was fractionated into fulvic acid (FA), humic acid (HA), humin, hymatomelanic acid, and two low molecular weight fractions (LMW1 and LMW2). The FA fraction was divided into five subfractions, FA1-FA5. The mumie fractions were characterized by IR, UV-vis, and fluorescence spectroscopy. Total carbohydrate content in the fractions was analyzed using the phenol reaction method. The relative content of polar groups and nonpolar hydrocarbon fragments in the mumie fractions correlated well with solubility in an aqueous medium. Biological characterization was performed using only the FA fractions. FA1 and FA2 enhanced the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and nitric oxide in murine peritoneal macrophages, as determined with the use of 2',7'-dichlorofluorescin diacetate and Griess reagent, respectively. The enchancement of ROS and nitric oxide production correlated with the level of total carbohydrates in the fractions. Murine splenic lymphocytes treated with FA1 showed a dose-dependent increase in [(3)H]thymidine uptake. These findings suggest that FA derived from mumie has immunomodulatory activity.

Epilobium angustifolium has been traditionally used to treat of a number of diseases; however, not much is known regarding its effect on innate immune cells. In this study, we report that extracts of E. angustifolium activated functional responses in neutrophils and monocyte/macrophages. Activity-guided fractionation, followed by mass spectroscopy and NMR analysis, resulted in the identification of oenothein B as the primary component responsible for phagocyte activation. Oenothein B, a dimeric hydrolysable tannin, dose-dependently induced a number of phagocyte functions in vitro, including intracellular Ca(2+) flux, production of reactive oxygen species, chemotaxis, NF-kappaB activation, and proinflammatory cytokine production. Furthermore, oenothein B was active in vivo, inducing keratinocyte chemoattractant production and neutrophil recruitment to the peritoneum after intraperitoneal administration. Biological activity required the full oenothein B structure, as substructures of oenothein B (pyrocatechol, gallic acid, pyrogallol, 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid) were all inactive. The ability of oenothein B to modulate phagocyte functions in vitro and in vivo suggests that this compound is responsible for at least part of the therapeutic properties of E. angustifolium extracts.